This one (as the title reveals) is just a chapter to fill up space! Naw, it's got some relevance to it. Will thinks about Jack, and there's some other talk between them and stuff. Enjoy.

6 Trammel Talk

Will was quite silent, but still stared in wonderment and disbelief at the pirate's implications. At length, he spoke. 'What do you think his current state is?'

Jack's mouth opened in a rather effective dead-pan look. 'He's alive, I imagine.'

Will sighed and rolled his eyes a little. 'Yes, yes. I guessed that much, what I meant was what do you think he's doing, if you think much at all?'

Jack smiled with the dawning of realization. 'I didn't think you were as stupid as that. As for your question, I'm not really sure what ol' Bootstrap's up to. Out for vengeance, if anything. Won't find much on that boat, though, seeing as the former crew's gone, and there's only about a score of men (and women, too) on me ship. Say….. what are you up to for the rest of your life? I'm a little short of hands.'

'Ah-ha! I knew you'd ask something of me as outrageous as me joining your skeleton crew.'

Jack put a grubby finger in Will's face, looking mildly offended. 'Ain't skeletons, no more.'

'I meant that you don't have many. Isn't that what the metaphorical meaning of "skeleton crew" is?'

Jack sat back. 'Oh. I was taking it literally. My mistake.' Jack paused, and then pouted a little. 'And I never asked you to join….. in actuality.'

'But you implied it. I simply won't do it, even if you ask outright, if you give me gold, or if you beg, though I'd like to see you do that. I have a life that I feel makes it worthwhile to, in fact, live.' Will straightened in his chair, coming across as far more stubborn than usual about this particular subject. He had no intention of leaving, however, but Jacks unique form of small talk was getting on his nerves and he'd probably take to shaking the other man if it came down to it.

'Live without any verve and be bored. Live on risk of death and peril, and only then you really live. No offence, good sir gentleman, but your fine bonny strumpet must be getting antsy by now, unless I am sadly mistaken, for she certainly was spirited. This doesn't seem like you a-tall, because you're too much like Bill. He'd be fighting your way of life tooth and nail were he closer to you.'

'I'll live how I choose. Now, about my father-' Will began, edging closer and closer to sheer exasperation.

'Let me finish,' Jack said hunching a little with his hands up by the side of his head, a quite defensive posture in Will's opinion. He didn't wait for Will's approval, and just went on. 'The you I've seen before would have no troubles with being a pirate. That would be the you that decided I would be best to help you get your lass rescued, the you that was all se to die for her, the you that fought a hefty number of Port Royal's local law enforcement to save my life of all things. It's almost disappointing. I expect you'll hit me now, huh?'

Will considered deeply, wanting to look anywhere except at Jack, but forced himself to do so anyway. He desperately thought of something to say that would stall what was inevitably going to leave his lips. 'I'm not going to hit you. What on earth made you say that?'

'You have a tendency of doing stupid things in awkward circumstances.'

'Only in some people's opinions. Just going and hitting some randomly chosen fellow, that would be stupid. You are random by nature, but not just someone I'd randomly choose for any reason. In short, you deserve a good smacking.'

Jack smiled wryly. 'Only in some people's opinions.'

An uncomfortable silence fell after that. Or, at least, it was uncomfortable in Will's opinion. Jack seemed perfectly content to survey women's bosoms while waiting for the rum he ordered earlier.

A question came to Will, and, as hard as he tried to ignore it, the more louder it shouted at him. Still figuring he should stall any heart-to-heart with Jack, however sure it was to come, he asked, 'Jack, how in heaven's name did you get here without being noticed?'

'Ah,' Jack began. 'Why, with my spectacular brilliance, of course.'

'I'm sure,' Will said with amusement.

'No, really. It was pure genius on my part, and the Pearl's hidden safely among Port Royal's fleet.'

'You really are insane,' Will said with wonder.

'Changed her sails. That's all it took.' Jack explained, deflating slightly upon revealing the simplicity of it. With a thought, he brightened back up again. 'But it was clever.'

'Actually, it is quite clever.' Will said with a slight frown, his brow furrowed. 'I'd say you got the idea from someone else of your crew, but I've met them, and know what they aren't capable of. Getting hold of enough material must have been pricey, though. You must be desperate to have me.'

'Now, don't be so selfish. I've had a spare set of sails for ages, but to get them up means a day without a breath of wind or a port to do so in, and clear sailing afterwards to calibrate them properly. Same deal for getting her natural ones up again. So, yes actually. When will you be ready?'

Will smiled just slightly. He pictured Jack and his measly crew struggling with what were essentially huge bed sheets of canvas, and occasionally, Jack doing so by himself because the others decided it wasn't worth it. Knowing Jack, Will guessed it probably took more than a single windless day.

'What say you to a little roll in the hay?'

Will looked up, startled, and utterly appalled. 'What!'

'What?'

Will flushed a little upon realizing that Jack had, instead, been talking to the waitress who had brought him his rum, his short attention span causing him to speak his mind to the woman's chest. Wills intervention gave the waitress enough time to give Jack an honest smack before going on her way.

'I see your charm has improved,' Will remarked.

Jack took a breath and paused a moment before saying, 'That one I know I didn't deserve. I never said what I meant by "roll in the hay", and she only jumped to incredible conclusions.' He then closed his eyes and nodded to himself.

'But you meant you wanted to have a lie-down with her, right?'

'Yes, but she shouldn't have assumed so. Thinking eager thoughts, she was.'

'Uh-huh. Before anything else happens, and before you say anything else, I'd like a day to myself to decide.' Will said, shaking off all of the unnecessary talk that had gone on before.

'You need a whole day?' Whined Jack.

Will smiled , knowing his next words would aggravate the heck out of Jack. 'At the very least.'

Jack made some small, uncomfortable little noises, looking around the room as though someone there might help him in some way. 'You know, the longer you wait, then the longer it will take.' He said quickly.

'I want at least a day.' Will confirmed for Jack.

'Fine.' Jack huffed and walked out of the tavern, leaving Will to himself.

Will was very strongly inclined to go with him, after all, there was a good chance that he'd finally get to find his father. His hopes for doing so had been dashed for the longest time, for he thought he was dead. Usually that was the case when one is thrown into the sea chained to a cannon. The part in him that wanted nothing to do with Jack and his "adventure" was reminding him that his father was a pirate, and Will would certainly have to come to terms with that if he went. From how Jack spoke about him, Will figured that he and his father had been good friends. The part of him that wanted to have a calm life with Elizabeth didn't want to have such close relations to pirates, and to Jack.

But Jack was a good man. He kept his word, at least when it was important. Though he was a little childish at times, he certainly kept things interesting, and exciting, even if it wasn't intentional in any way. Will thought about his reasons for saving Jack from the scaffold, and also his reasons for hitting him over the head with a bottle.

Thoughts and memories came up all over of Jack just saving Will for no particular reason, and for doing so quite without fuss. He just sort of did it. And he had saved Elizabeth in much the same manner several times before, as well.

Jack was a scoundrel, there was no doubt about that, he was also a criminal, a flirt, a thief, a pirate. But he wasn't evil, not like Barbossa had been. Nor was he cruel, sadistic, malicious, or psychotic. He was simply a pirate. He was greedy, manipulative, and dishonest only to the extent that his victims groaned when they realized they were suckered. He was disreputable, that was all.

From what Will had seen of him, he has good deeds in his repertoire to match the sinful ones, though it probably wasn't done purposefully, and Jack had no scruples for his usual scandalous deeds, but he knew what the limits were.

'Two shillings for the tea and ale.' Said the waitress upon returning.

He had no shame, either.